Fau Students Give Dui A Sobering Examination

October 20, 1988|By LISA STEMLE Special to the Sun-Sentinel

Free pizza was the lure for a Florida Atlantic University presentation Tuesday afternoon, but the atmosphere was anything but party-like as students gathered for a sobering talk on alcohol use and abuse.

``A significant part of my income (comes) from defending people charged with DUI,`` Boca Raton attorney Richard Barkin told the students. ``We`re not talking about a speeding ticket or careless driving.``

Barkin was a member of a panel of law officials and university representatives who gathered to talk about drinking and answer students` questions.

FAU student Sal Yazbek organized Tuesday`s event as part of National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week. Yazbek is president of FAU`s Bacchus organization, which stands for Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students.

Much of the discussion at the event centered on DUI, driving under the influence, and its penalties.

The penalties are harsher today than just a few years ago, including fines, court costs, probation expenses and driving-school expenses.

``Those are just a few of the things you need to take into consideration before you take a drink and get behind the wheel,`` Barkin said.

A drunken driver who causes a death can be convicted of manslaughter, and that could mean a possible prison sentence among rapists and murderers, said Ondine Filipe, associate attorney for FAU and a member of Barkin`s firm.

More than half the 171 traffic deaths that occurred in 1987 in Palm Beach County were alcohol-related, according to Sgt. Max Schell of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Whether or not students drive while drunk, intoxicated drivers are constantly on the road, he said.

``They`re always out there; they`re sharing the road with you,`` he said.

A DUI conviction will cost $3,000 to $15,000, Schell said. Expenses include attorney and court fees, and vehicle towing. Auto-insurance costs will skyrocket or policies will be canceled, he said.

``There are a lot of jobs you can`t get with a DUI (record),`` Schell said. ``A routine traffic ticket stays on your record for seven years. A DUI is on (it) for the rest of your life.``

It takes one hour for each drink to leave a person`s system, so a night of heavy drinking will result in a hangover that takes a while to recover from, said Laurie Fitzpatrick. She is a representative of Double Eagle Distributors of Deerfield Beach, which handles Budweiser products.

She told students a responsible party includes plenty of non-alcoholic drinks.

A pizza-building party, for example, includes an activity and it makes sure people are eating food, so drinking is not the focus of the party.